Four international firms—China's HQC, Egypt's Enppi, Spain's Técnicas Reunidas, and the UK's Wood—are competing for engineering and project management contracts linked to new Sonatrach initiatives. The projects focus on building base oil facilities in Arzew and an ethylene complex in Skikda. These efforts are part of a broader $7 billion petrochemical strategy for 2025-2029, aiming to boost local hydrocarbon processing from 32% to 50%. The move is intended to decrease reliance on foreign imports of plastics and lubricants. However, finalizing technical studies and infrastructure requirements means that production is unlikely to commence before 2030, with a definitive timeline yet to be confirmed.